time for rest.

Got to Nairobi, Kenya yesterday for a two week R&R trip... rest and restock!  Praise the Lord that my bag was not overweight--no paying extra (at least for this leg of the trip)!  It was not until I got here that it dawned on me how much I really need this time of rest.  The last week of trying to story in Nataragat was full of delayed plans, days of not telling stories, crazy people wanting rides...needless to say, I did not get to finish the REAP curriculum before coming here.  I only have three stories left!  But God has changed my view and definition of success and failure.  The fact that I got to tell stories there at all with help from Lucy is a huge victory!!!  And I am trusting in His timing.  He will have the people there on story days who need to here that one story; I must rest in that.  His Word does not return empty but always goes out to accomplish His purpose.

God led me to Isaiah 54 this morning, and what a perfect way for He to speak to me about this time of needed rest:

"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated." (4)

"'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (10)

"O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones." (11)

Mmmmmm...time to be still.

Thank you, Lord, for: a squishy bed, a desk with chairs, heavy comforters, a flushing toilet, wheat bread that I didn't make (appropriately called "Slices of Life"), cinnamon rolls from my family from training (the Terrazas! love them!), my blue jeans, the cold, six letters in the Sudan mailbox (thank you Gigi, Bobber, Whitney, Pendergrass family, Mr. Randag and DATAMARK), fast internet, apples, and no bugs.  Thank you also for Your sufficient grace and strength to be without these when in Sudan.  Thank you for making Sudan home.  And thank you for Nairobi and what a nice time of rest it will bring.  To God be the glory even as I rest!